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| Grocery hauling, balanced well, it was an easy ride home despite the strong wind gusts. |
Today I made a trip for groceries, it was a lot warmer, but the wind was gusty and it was pretty exhausting. We made it up that silly little hill that always leaves me breathless and this time I just kept cycling at the top, very slowly, gasping for air and wobbling all over the place. I recovered and kept pushing forward, but arrived at the grocery store feeling light headed and nauseous. According to Endomondo, I burnt over 1000 calories today on my ride, 1400 on yesterday's ride and 997 the day before, I don't think I know how to fuel myself properly for these type of excursions. This weekend I intend to do a little research and get myself more organized with healthy fuels.
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| Jack beaming and full of energy and spunk! |
Jack had a great time however, and managed to stay awake the entire ride. We hauled home just under 50lb of groceries (yes, I weighed them lol), plus Jack (38lb) and his seat (about 14lb), plus diapers, bags, bottles of water, and of course me- Let's just say the Mundo hauled over 400lb today- and so did my legs! I feel pretty good now that I've had some lunch and surprisingly I think I have enough energy to clean my house before the weekend.
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| He's obviously exhausted from the ride home...oh wait that's me! |
My Brother and his family are joining us this weekend, we can't wait to see them! Also, tomorrow we're hosting our 2nd family ride here in College Place. The following weekend I'm taking part in a Cargo Bike Round-Up in Walla Walla, I love having all these bikey things in the forecast!
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| Nothing budged on the way home. |
Please be careful with your trips. It is very easy to overdo it, because that dizziness and fatigue hits after the fact- when it's usually too late to fix it if in fact you've gone over the line.
ReplyDeleteI specifically remember one very scary moment when I was going to ride bikes with my husband. I was in too hard of a gear, trying to keep up with him, because we hadn't tried riding together yet (this is before i got to be a stronger rider). We paused at a stop sign and I had been feeling odd. With my foot down, I told him I needed a minute to drink Gatorade, drank it, then got seriously dizzy.
I promptly proceeded to try and get off the bike because something was wrong. I ended up mostly falling off it, and he lowered me to the ground by my arm (how did he manage that straddling his own bike?), because I temporarily lost all control of my own body. I saw spots and then complete blackness for a moment, though I don't believe I passed out. I'm telling you- I was seriously freaked out. I remember not being able to make my eyes do what I wanted. After I got them under control and he noticed, I distinctly remember Jamie asking me why I was breathing that way. I realized I was doing something like hyperventilating, and immediately made myself stop. Gradually I started feeling much better, as if my body was fine, and nothing was wrong. I didn't trust myself, and though we did finally start pedaling extremely slowly back home, I expected at any minute for it to happen again. The experience terrified the HELL out of me.
The only time something like that had ever happened before, is that I was taking a pedal car up a bridge. I had a slight bout of nausea and stopped to rest, which made me feel better. So I assumed that was a warning sign that I was overexerting- it was really hot that day and I figured it was heat sickness.
Now- I think the two incidents were the exact same thing- just one time I recognized the situation,a nd the other, I went way beyond my limit without realizing.
Just PLEASE be careful out there by yourself. You don't want to make yourself sick with Jack depending on you. If you feel bad- just take it a little bit easier. Conquering challenges is great, but at the same time, you don't want them to conquer you- that's much worse.
Sorry, I don't have much nice to say today- this stupid headache won't go away. But I love you and I always look forward to your posts.
(yes, I've decided that love is not too strong a word to express how people make you happy. i'll have to think about my reasoning behind that, but it feels right to say it, so yeah)
Hope some of what I just wrote makes sense. I have to go mindlessly click buttons in Facebook for Schwinns current giveaway. Go try and win a bike for you and a friend. ummmm link....
Here:
https://www.facebook.com/rideschwinnbikes/app_298203723599407
Hello RETF!
DeleteI know exactly what you mean! I thought tht too, while I didn't go into a lot of detail in the post, the feeling wouldn't subside. I got some crackers and orange juice, and just slowly walked around the store. At one point I felt quite vulnerable and like I might need "help"- not sure what for, but something was wrong. I got a few groceries, and then went and sat down on the tables outside to visit with an old veteran that sits there, I thought it might distract me and he always seems very lonely so I like to chat with him. (The VA medical center is close by and I think he has problems mentally, poor old guy) Anyway, he'd disappeared and I just sat there and chatted with Jack and tried to wrangle my juice away from him. I finally felt better, packed the bike up. I felt fine by then and just headed home and rested for a bit.
I need to learn about fueling myself better, carrying snacks and just being more prepared- especially with Jack relying on me!
Hope your headache went off! I signed up for that Schwinn thing!
I'm glad you enjoy the blog, it has really been a source of so much friendship and strength for me, I try to be myself and just be honest about this process, even when its less than enjoyable- like admitting me weight to the world lol
chat soon!
Lindsay
Wow...IDK if my chicken legs could pull 400lbs,mad,MAD props,my friend! Nick and I love going to the grocery by bike...being 10,he prefers having a "reason",a destination,for riding over just riding for the sake of riding,LOL,and I admit,I find that fulfilling too.
ReplyDeleteAs always,awesome and cute pics of Jack (the Wife always likes me to let her know when you post,cause she's ALL about babies,toddlers and kids,and she thinks Jack-as do I,BTW-is just the cutest little booger :D ) grinning from ear to ear,that always puts a smile on our faces too :)
I hope y'all are having a safe and great holiday weekend,my friend :)
The DC
TDC- Thank you! My legs are fine, except my knees occasionally hurt, but I think my saddle slips. I'm going to tape my spot and keep an eye on it, to see what happens. Lindsay
DeleteBananas are the cyclists motor fuel!
ReplyDeleteOn trips like this, either, eat banana before you head out, or bring on to eat on the journey.
The amount of energy I get from a single banana astounds me sometimes.
I remembered your words Cullen, when I was packing for my last ride, grabbed some bananas and it made it a lot easier! Thanks for sharing!
DeleteI tried different foods to keep me going during my fairly long commute home from work. First I had a granola bar or something else sweet before starting out or during the ride, but then I sometimes started feeling weak and low-energy before making it all the way home. I finally figured out that I should eat something non-sugary, such as an apple, carrots and nuts/trailmix. Bananas are also good. I believe any food with a lot of sugar first elevates your blood sugar level and but later it crashes, which can make you feel exhausted and dizzy. Fruit has sugar, but not as much as processed foods or even juice. Oddly enough I get this feeling of low energy and almost feeling dizzy only when cycling, not when hiking, running or doing any other activity.
ReplyDeleteAnne-
DeleteThanks for the tips- I think I will start packing an apple and a banana - we share all our snacks too and sometimes I lose over half mine to the little guy! And then I remind him that he's a passenger and mummy needs it haha. I think its getting better now I'm taking more stuff. I got some nut and fruit bars too and they helped.
Lindsay
wow this is so cool Great idea.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it Greenlet!
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